Concerning Us

Chapter Two: The Dealing of Kings

 Thranduil sat proud of himself as he watched the young maiden be removed from his throne room. "By sunrise tomorrow a messenger should be on his way to Harlond. We have their princess in our chambers," he said to no one in particular. One of the guards nearby  took the initiative and left to prepare a scroll, the others that remained turned to look at their king with question but that only fuelled Thranduil's smile, "She is no ordinary prisoner, treat her well!". He stood up and began his long walk out of his throne room, "Give her new clothing of fine thread. She will be feed three meals with drink a day in which the source is the royal pantry, though she is not permitted to leave her cell unless summoned for."  He was about to pass through the door when a guard spoke up, "My Lord, what about her fleet? They are resting in guest quarters." The sheet clothed King only but turned his head in his direction, "They're free to go on their way tomorrow." The guard looked uncertain of this, "Surely they will not leave without their leader..." Thranduil was unaltered, "Then let them stay the week or two that it takes their king to get here. They'll be forced home then by their leader's father". 

Four days later, the elleth fleet became unsettled, "What has become of our leader?" they asked among themselves. Though they continued to be received greatly by the service of Mirkwood, they missed their own people and realized they would've been nearly home by this point if they had left four days ago. A few of them courage to ask the servers and guards, and received the same response they had been given each day that princess Dartha was being seen by the king. But for how long? Because of their distress, Thranduil was finally pushed to confront them. He made an appearance at midday, clothed in traditional elvish wardrobe known just to the people of Mirkwood. The green surrounding him gave him an amiable appearance as he spoke, "Fret not. Your princess is not missing, ill, nor dead. You are free to return to your home without her. She waits behind for her father who I have called forth in order to do business."

Though his reason sounded completely acceptable, something urged the elleth not to be convinced, "We will wait for our king. We will not go!" a few started to cry until the 120 all together were erupting with it. His thick eyebrows wrinkled into a frown on his face before out stretching his majestic hand to silence them, "I do not have enough food to feed you lot three times a day until he arrives!" he shouted, "Return home or stay here and starve!" A silence fell over the elleth until one soul spoke out, "Give us lembas bread!" Her words were greatly received by the rest of the fleet and a burst of annoyance went through Thranduil. He turned his back to the gathered elleth, "Very well. You'll be given lembas, once and only one. Make it last," he said as he made his way out of the room. 

Before sun down on that day, Legolas had returned home. He had gone in effort of the war, playing critical parts in the downfall of evil. The prince of Mirkwood would've been home sooner, but he had insured the safe return of the hobbits to hobbiton and spent a few nights with them in their cozy hobbit holes. Now as he entered the courts of his home, he found it different from how he had left it. "From where do these elleth come from?" he asked one of the guards who had bowed upon his entry. By this time they were just gathered conversing amongst themselves in the centeral court, but their number produced a collective loud chatter. The guard bowed again, "They are of Harlond, my lord." Legolas looked at the lot and recognized the stains of battle upon their garment, "Warriors?" The guard took a moment to think of his response before answering, "They can be my lord, we've disarmed them. Though they sought out into the war as healers." At hearing that Legolas remembered several healer elleth serving in the background of the war and his heart became light at their bravery, "Which of them is their leader?". He looked about the court and allowed his eyes to fall on one he thought could be she, only to learn that he had been mistaken.

"My lord, the king has put her away in a cell," the guard honestly told. Legolas tore his glance from the elleth he was looking at and stared at the elf that stood before him, "For what reason?" he asked in confusion. The guard only returned as much confusion in saying that he did not know, "The reason of which is unknown to all but your father." The Mirkwood prince held the look of the guard's stare as if to find a hint of falsehood, but when he did not, he broke his glance and asked of the elf, "Can you show me to which is her cell?"

After Legolas had been led further into the caves past several prisoners, he was brought to a set of bars. He thanked the guard that brought him and permitted him his leave. The cell in which Harlond's princess was kept was rather dark but for one corner of the holding in which there was a light provided for her. Legolas was faintly able to see a body laying on the ground around the small source of light. Closer to the cell bars he saw a discarded dirty wardrobe like that of which the fleet in the court had been wearing and twelve plates of uneaten food. He concluded that it was four days worth of meals, "Food from the royal pantry has been provided for you, why do you choose not to eat?" The body mass in the corner stirred and spoke out in anger, "I will not eat unless it is at a table, you are wasting your supply by bringing it to me here! I've said that repeatedly!" Legolas shot back with his own annoyance at her yelling, "Who do you think you are to demand a seat in the royal dining? Prisoners eat in their dungeon cells! Say, what crimes have you committed fiend!" Suddenly the prisoner's face came into the light and Legolas saw that she was an elleth not far from his age. Her appearance fair and quite opposite from the war in which she had come from, "I have committed none", she said in frustration. 

Legolas beckoned her to reach the cell bars in which she did. She stood a little shorter than he, but was otherwise tall, her long brown hair fell at her waist. Her slender frame was covered in fabrics made of his people, the forest green color of the material drew out her even greener eyes as she looked at him. Legolas asked his question again, "What crimes have you committed?". Dartha slide her coiled hands down the cold cell bars, "I do not lie to you when I say I have done nothing worthy of being locked away." Legolas's face became uneasy, "If you have done nothing wrong, then there is no other reason I can conjure than that of that the King wants to make you his wife". Dartha was taken back, "He must be several hundreds of years older than me", she cringed, "He does not want me. He wants what ever debt my father owes". At hearing this Legolas wrinkles his brows, "Who are you?". Datha tightened her grip on the bars, "I am Dartha of Harlond, the only daughter of King Barathon of Harlond".

Legolas stood sure, "Whatever dealing are between the Mirkwood and Harlond kingdoms, it should be left for the kings to handle. I will go before my king and ask for your freedom." Dartha scoffed at his statement, "What influence do you have over that vile king?" Legolas raised a brow before he turned to leave, "The king is my father." Dartha was left to go back into the dark of her cell as Legolas walked away to find his father.